Charniqua is of African origin, derived from the Swahili word 'charuka,' which means 'to be brave.' This unique and exotic name was popularized by American author Terry McMillan in her 1996 novel 'How Stella Got Her Groove Back,' where it became widely recognized.
The name Charniqua had a steady increase in popularity from 1990 to 1992, with a peak of 11 births in 1992. However, there was a significant drop by 1996, with only 6 births that year. Overall, there were a total of 29 babies named Charniqua between 1990 and 1996.